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On this day in 1973, Slade's "Cum on Feel the Noize," enters the U.K. singles chart at #1, making Slade the first act to achieve this since The Beatles. [10 years later Quiet Riot would be the first heavy metal band to score a No. 1 album in the U.S. fueled by their cover of the tune.]

On this day in 2003, Ray Jackson, who found fame with Lindisfarne, takes out legal action against Rod Stewart over his 1970s hit song "Maggie May." Jackson claims he came up with the worldwide hit's classic mandolin melody and claimed he may have lost at least £1m because he was not credited for the track's distinctive hook. Jackson was paid just £15 for the recording session by Stewart in 1971. Find out what else happened on this date in music history here

Sammy Hagar Wants To Reunite With Van Halen

(Gibson) Sammy Hagar recently spoke to Rolling Stone magazine about his new book, Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock (out on March 15) and his history with Van Halen. In the interview, Hagar assessed the chance of him getting back together with Eddie and company as pretty likely.

"I'd say it's up there around 90 percent. I would love to make another record with Van Halen," he said. "If Eddie really got his life together, which it seems he has judging by the pictures I've seen, then definitely."

Yet, he quickly made a point of saying that there was no chance of it happening anytime soon (especially with Eddie, Alex and Wolfgang Van Halen currently working with David Lee Roth). "There's no rumor. There's no reason to say, 'Yes, I've got this vibe going on,'" he said. "Right now, zero chance. When my book comes out, zero for a while. But someday, before we all die, [expletive] yeah. We might be in our nineties though." more on this story

Metallica's Return To The Studio Could Be Difficult?

(Rock News Desk) Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich is astonished to find he still likes the band's most recent album Death Magnetic – because he usually has a difficult relationship with their recorded work.

They recently completed a 30-month world tour on the back of the release after a short break will begin work on its follow-up. And Ulrich wonders if his enjoyment of the old record means the new one will be too challenging to make.

The positive feelings lead Ulrich to suspect that Metallica's return to the studio could be difficult. "I'm looking forward to it," he explains, "But it makes me a little wary. We'll set out to top it, but we don't take it for granted that we can. We'll see how it plays out." more on this story

New Def Leppard Influenced By Queen

(Gibson) Def Leppard are set to release their first-ever live album this May. The album, titled Mirrorball, will feature a mixture of live classics, like "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Bringin' on the Heartbreak," and three new studio tracks. Singer Joe Elliott recently spoke with Billboard about the band's decision to include new songs in the set.

"When we decided to do (the live album), it just got said – I don't know by who – 'Why don't we chuck a couple of new songs on the end?'" said Elliott. "And that two became three, and in fairness it could've been four if we'd just had a little bit more time. But we wanted to tour this summer, so any fourth or fifth song we had brewing, we'll save them for the next record."

Elliott went on to say that the three new songs are "all very different to each other." He described his own composition, "Undefeated," as "a very Queen-type vocal thing," adding "it even features piano and stuff." He described guitarist Phil Collen's "All About Believin'" as "a pop-rock song" and called bassist Rick Savage's "Kings of the World" as "a big, epic, rock anthem that will sound great in arenas and stadiums all over the world – kind of 'We Will Rock You' with guitars, if you like." more on this story

Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger Working With Eurythmics' Dave Stewart

(Gibson) Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger is apparently working on a new solo album with Dave Stewart (Eurythmics). Jagger's brother Chris spilled the beans on the project in an interview with Portuguese television, according to Spinner.com.

"He's doing a record at the moment in Los Angeles with Dave Stewart, he called me last night telling me what he was doing," Chris Jagger said. "So he keeps in touch."

It's unclear what impact this would have on the much-rumored Stones 2011 tour. Neither Mick nor Stewart have confirmed that they are working together, although they have done so in the past. more on this story

Iced Earth Lose Another Singer

(Rock News Desk) Matt Barlow will leave Iced Earth after completing the band's summer festival dates in Europe, he's announced.

The heartbroken singer says that while he still loves the band, they need to spend more time on the road than he can commit to, because he's a father to two kids.

Barlow joined Iced Earth as their third singer in 1995 and left in 2003 before rejoining four years later. more on this story

Duff McKagan's Autobiography Won't Be A Guns N' Roses Tell All

(Gibson) Duff McKagan's autobiography is scheduled for release on October 11 via Touchstone Fireside, part of Simon & Schuster. Blabbermouth reports that McKagan announced the date to VH1 Radio Networks' Dave Basner, saying, "I finished it about a month ago [and it has] a lot of words in it."

McKagan said in his Seattleweekly.com column last year that the book was not all about Guns N' Roses. "I want to make clear that this book is not a GN'R 'tell-all' or some other such 'rock' book," he wrote. "There are a lot of those at this point. Sure, I will touch on all of that, as it is part of my story, but only just a part of it. Rather, it will be a story of an ordinary guy who met with extraordinary circumstances, and the circumnavigation through these situations. If you have been a reader of my column, then you get the general idea of my headspace. I will be writing this myself, thick or thin."

The book will tell the story of his rock and roll life, drug abuse, recovery and his degree in finance from Seattle University.

That Metal Show To Feature Metallica, KISS, Guns N' Roses Stars

(Gibson) VH1 Classic's That Metal Show returns to the air on March 19, and it promising a star-studded lineup for its seventh season.

The show, hosted by Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson, will talk all things metal with guests Kirk Hammett, Duff McKagan, David Coverdale, Ace Frehley and many others.

The show airs at 11 p.m. (ET) on Saturdays on the cable network. Check out the guest list and premiere dates for the upcoming season here

Dragonforce Find Their New Voice

We told you about this in yesterday's digest but Roadrunner sent over the official word with some comments from the band:

Dragonforce have announced that their long search for a new vocalist is finally over. After entries from thousands of hopefuls across the globe, the shredmasters supreme welcome 23-year-old Marc Hudson to the band to fill the boots left by ZP Theart, who parted ways with the band in March of last year.

"I'm really excited about being a part of the DragonForce family," said Hudson. "It's always been my dream to dedicate my life to making music. I'm going to bring all the power and emotion I can to the songs, and help make the killer new record the fans have been waiting for!" more on this story

Metallica's James Hetfield and U2's Bono Tribute Thin Lizzy Legend Phil Lynott

(Gibson) A new museum exhibit in Ireland is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the death of Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott. On the eve of the exhibit opening (it runs March 4 through April 3 at Stephen's Green Shopping Centre in Dublin City Centre), Neil McCormick of The Telegraph has written a piece about the legacy of Lynott and his band – which includes some high praise from Metallica's James Hetfield and U2's Bono.

"He was an amazing frontman," fellow Irish rocker Bono said. "If lyrical and musical ability has to be matched with showmanship, attitude, style, if that's your version of rock 'n' roll, there's no way past Phil Lynott. He's at the top of the tree."

Hetfield is another huge Thin Lizzy fan – Metallica often play their version of "Whiskey in the Jar" in concert and included it on the band's covers album, Garage, Inc. "In metal, the number one influence is Black Sabbath," Hetfield said. "But for the more musical bands it would be Thin Lizzy. The songwriting, the lyrics, the dual guitar and unbelievably cool drumming, it's just magic." more on this story

Vince Neil Contradicts Himself Over Recent Jail Term

(Rock News Desk) Vince Neil has offered contradictory explanations for his recent drink-driving conviction.

In a sit-down interview with girlfriend and TV presenter Alicia Jacobs, the Motley Crue singer says he didn't buy his way out of jail, after admitting he did – then says his sentence wasn't harsh, after last week he said it was.

Neil was freed from Clark County jail after serving 10 days of a 15-day term following his arrest in June last year. He's currently serving a further 15 days of house arrest, making a total sentence of 30 days, and paid a $585 fine. more on this story

Unwritten Law Plan Spring Tour

Unwritten Law will soon he hitting the road for headlining tour with support from Authority Zero.

Unwritten Law will be touring in support of their new studio album Swan, which is scheduled for release on March 29th, 2011 through BreakSilence Recordings/Suburban Noize Records.

"We are really stoked to going out on tour in April. It's been a while since we have done a full tour so it will awesome to get out play for all our fans again," commented Unwritten Law guitarist Steve Morris. "For this tour we're bringing along our friends in Authority Zero, so it's bound to an epic tour. See everyone soon out on the road!" more on this story

Ringo Hitting The Road

(Gibson) Ringo Starr has announced dates for a tour of the U.K. with his All Star Band, including a return to his hometown of Liverpool to play the Empire. European dates are soon to follow.

"We're going from Spain to Russia," Starr said in a video message to fans on RingoStarr.com, "France and Germany. Denmark, even!"

Starr also announced he will play a concert in Hamburg, Germany, on his birthday, July 7.
more on this story

Keith Richards Daughter Arrested for T & A Violation?

(hennemusic) Remember the 1981 Rolling Stones song, "Little T & A"? Keith Richards sang the "Tattoo You" track, and now his daughter has taken the song - and, conceptually, the album title - to the streets. Literally.

Theodora Richards was arrested in New York Tuesday evening after she was caught leaving a graffiti tag on a building in Lower Manhattan.

The New York Times reports that the tag appears that it might be, among other things, a reference to the song Ms. Richards's father sang: it consists of a T, a symbol for a heart, and an A, according to a law enforcement official. more on this story

Albert Lee Joins Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings

(Gibson) Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman and his stellar set of virtuoso players, known as the Rhythm Kings, have announced U.K. tour dates for the Fall.

Bill Wyman's musicians on his 36-date U.K. tour includes guitar icon Albert Lee, Georgie Fame, Frank Mead, Geraint Watkins and Beverley Skeete. A special guest will be announced soon.

Wyman says on his website: "The whole idea behind the band was to play music that we love and I think you can hear and feel that on our records. Playing live, doing gigs, means everybody in the band does it for the same reasons as I do; to have a good time and send the crowd home with smiles on their faces." more on this story

Slash Sings Charlie Sheen's Praises

(Rock AAA) In the aftermath of the whirlwind of publicity surrounding Charlie Sheen's latest drug fuelled shenanigans with "ladies of the night" a host of Hollywood A-listers have come out fighting on Charlie's behalf, with none other than Slash, a neighbour of Sheen's, leading the charge.

Slash, no stranger to the wild-side, supported Sheen in an interview with Australia's Triple M Music.

"I love Charlie, he is probably the most rock n' roll character in entertainment today. All things considered, he's been having a little bit of a hard time recently with all the bad press and everything. But he's been managing to get away with what he's been doing on that show, and get a raise, over the last more than ten years. I think that's pretty cool." more on this story

The Big Four of Thrash To Play Six Shows in Europe

(Gibson) The legends of thrash will be gracing Europe with an additional summer performance. Metallica.com has announced that the final date on The Big Four's European slate will take place July 3 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

It is the first Scandinavian appearance for The Big Four – Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, March 7 at 9 a.m. (local time).

For those keeping track, this marks the sixth Big Four date for 2011 and the fifth in Europe. more on this story

Singled Out: Keith Moody & My Band's Up!

Today Keith Moody from Keith Moody & My Band tells us about "Up!" from their brand new EP "Lines". Here is the story:

Well, Up started as a melody and a vibe. I was listening to my normal large helpings of 60s era rock and began to develop this idea. When the tune started to take shape, I was locked in the thralls of infatuation. I was quite smitten with this other songwriter in Nashville. She for whatever reason put this spring in my step. So one mornign I rolled over grabbed "Rosey" my Bourgeious flat top OMC and wrote the first lines of the chorus "Now I'm up in the morning, such a beautiful day..." Well, as things do, that ended before it really ever began and the song wasn't completed right away. I suppose you could say my mood shifted drasticallly and it was almost impossible to put my mind and heart in the correct framework to right somethign so happy. It was in dire need of a second verse and bridge to tie the thing together, so I put it aside for awhile.

A few months later, I realized I needed a wedding gift for my cousin Abby and her soon to be husband Jared, so I decided I could take the first half along with the chorus and write the two missing parts based on the place they were in their relationship, hence "some like to fish but it ain't for me" and "what makes this one different than all the ones before". It kind of tied it all nicely together. The end result is possibly the happiest song I have ever written.

The arrangement laid down in the sessions is pretty close to the original demo with the exception of Tom Petty inspired D octave turnaround riff. The entire track has a liveliness and a bouce to it. I am very happy to have had it turn out so well. The musicians on the track are myself, Jacob Bunton, Adam Dalton and Jamey Rogan. It was of course co produced as well as engineered by Jason Elgin. All the tracks were laid down in a few hours spaced out over two days. I am very proud of the song, it maintained its orginal spirit from acoustic guitar vocal recorded in my bedroom all the way through the finished project. I am really proud of what we did with this one.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself and learn more about the album right here!

Bloodbath Over Bloodstock Coming Next Month

Bloodbath have set an April 25th release date for an all-new live DVD called Bloodbath Over Bloodstock.

The deluxe mediabook-packaged release will feature Bloodbath's August 2010 set from the famed Bloodstock Festival.

The full package will also include a 16-page booklet and a wealth of extras, featuring bonus footage taken from PartySan festival in 2008 and extensive band member interviews. more on this story

G. Love Tops The Rock Chart

(Fresh and Clean) G. Love's new country blues album, Fixin' To Die, debuted at no. 1 on the iTunes Rock chart

The album has also reached the #35 spot on this week's Billboard Top 200 Chart with 11,834 units sold in the first week.

Radio stations across the country are responding well to the first single, "Fixin' To Die," and it currently sits at #22 on the AAA charts (#9 at Non-Comm stations) and has been added on over 90 stations including XM/Sirius satellite radio. more on this story

The Twilight Singers World Tour

(Big Mouth) The Twilight Singers have announced a world tour in support of their new album, Dynamite Steps. The upcoming shows will be the band's first in almost five years.

On March 16th, The Twilight Singers will perform an intimate private show at Q Live at Concrete on March 16th. The band will be performing songs from their new album Dynamite Steps. One prize winner will receive a signed drum head and a copy of the album. Details on how to win tickets can be found here

Sub Pop Records just released Dynamite Steps, The Twilight Singers fifth album, on February 14th, 2011 worldwide. While long time Twilight Singers and now Gutter Twins fans will certainly find what they're looking for with this release, Dynamite Steps goes further with it's ambition both sonically and confessionally than ever before. So far the album has been one of the best reviewed of 2011. more on this story

Slang Chicken Heading West

Slang Chickens are going country (kind of) on a mini-tour of the South West culminating in two shows during SXSW in Austin, TX at BD Riley's on March 16th (with The Growlers) and the Pinpoint Music Party on March 17th.

The Los Angeles quartet's sophomore EP My Floor is set for release this Spring via Psychedelic Judaism and Infrasonic Sound, but both the CD and 12-inch EP are available now by ordering online.

the My Floor EP hones a deliberate yet chaotic blend of tumbling rock & roll, punk anthems and muddy Americana. more on this story

Jamie McLean Band Launch New EP Series

Jamie McLean Band have announced the release of four brand new EPs in 2011.

The first EP entitled Time Of My Life is due out today, March 3rd and features the core electric trio – Jamie McLean (vocals, lead guitars), Ben Mars (bass) and Brian Griffin (drums) – pumping out their brand of original roots, rock n' roll, country and swampy soul.

Jamie McLean commented, ""We really wanted to find a way to get our fans more music more often. I wanted to steer clear of a typical album release cycle where we only put out an album every couple of years. We are excited to stretch ourselves musically and I think it's a great way to get the most amount of new music possible to our fans." more on this story

Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock Hell Hath No Fury Tour

Victory Records sent over word that Sister Sin will take part in the Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock "Hell Hath No Fury" tour.

The tour will feature the band alongside In This Moment, Straight Line Stitch, and System Divide.

Sister Sin frontwoman Liv is passionate about the band's sound: "We want people to have a good time, bang their heads and be happy. Forget the crap some people say - join us, and rock out. SISTER SIN is unstoppable!" more on this story

Bowling For Soup Go Indie For New Album

Bowling For Soup have announced plans to release their 11th studio album, Fishin' For Woos, on April 26 via Brando Records.

After being signed to Jive Records for the past decade, Bowling For Soup have amicably parted ways with the label to record their 11th studio album independently and unrestrained.

Recorded at Valve Studio in the band's hometown of Dallas, TX, in late 2010, Fishin' For Woos is the classic Bowling for Soup sound and energy that fans have come to love, led by tracks "S-S-S-Saturday", "Girls In America", "I've Never Done Anything Like This" featuring Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo, and "Turbulence" featuring Gabriel Mann, who is 1/4 of The Rescues and composes the music for mega hit TV show Modern Family. more on this story

Watch Steve Vai Attempt A World Record Today

(Livestream) Berkleemusic and Steve Vai announces a call to action for guitarists around the world to join forces and set the Guinness world record for the largest online guitar lesson today Thursday, March 3 at 1:30 p.m. EST.

This first-of-its-kind initiative will bring together the worldwide community of guitarists in an unprecedented online celebration of music education.

Berkleemusic has partnered with Livestream, to host this event in its New York studio. Vai's free online lesson will last 30 minutes and will provide a look into his technique with a focus on how guitarists can develop and gain insight into their own playing. Berkleemusic will donate one dollar for every person that joins the online lesson to the Steve Vai Online Scholarship Fund, which is designed to reward and assist outstanding students studying in Berkleemusic's multi-course certificate programs.
Check it out

The Downtown Fiction Album and Tour Announced

(Atlantic) The Downtown Fiction will release their debut album, "Let's Be Animals," sometime this spring.

The trio will celebrate the album's arrival with a major US headline tour that will also feature He Is We, Cady Groves, and Amely.

The "Let's Be Animals Tour 2011" will kick off on April 19th at The Firebird in St. Louis and then travel the country through mid-May. more on this story

Sarah Fimm Previews New Album With New Video

Sarah Fimm's new studio album, Near Infinite Possibility, will be released May 5th. Featuring Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle), Earl Slick (David Bowie), Danny Blume (Jill Sobule), Paul Bushnell (Tracy Chapman), Sara Lee (the B-52's), and Sterling Campbell (Eric Clapton, David Byrne), Near Infinite Possibility draws comparison to the haunting yet pure vocals of Amy Lee, the classic rock guitar work of Jimmy Paige and George Harrison on tracks like "Flames," and distorted effects in the vein of Massive Attack.

Recorded in New York, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, Near Infinite Possibility is a 13-track effort showcasing a dark, chaotic mixture of rock and pop with alternative influences. Her sound is colored with smooth, melodic rock fused with thick electronic grooves.

The first single, "Yellow" is an airy bass-driven ballad inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman's groundbreaking short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper," a dark collection of journal entries written by a woman whose husband has put her on "rest cure;" confining her to a bedroom of a house. Forbidden to work, she has to hide her journal entries from him, so that she can recuperate from what he calls a "temporary nervous depression —a slight hysterical tendency," a diagnosis common to women in the Victorian period. The story depicts the effect of confinement on the narrator's mental health, and her descent into psychosis, paranoia, delusion and desperate fear, as the disparity between reality and the events of her mind crumble. Employing tropes of horror films, eerie color treatments and quick edits, the video for "Yellow" invokes feelings of curiosity and wonder, and at the same time, macabre and unease. Watch the video here